The Snape Who Stole Christmas
by P.D. Ellus
Summary: Young Snape, at his 7th year, faces a different Christmas. Sometimes surprises come from the most unusual places.


Disclaimer: It's not mine. Come on, you didn't think I was claiming to have created the most perfect man in the world (Snape), do you? I am not that good.

A/N: Even though I'm stating the obvious... Yes, this was inspired by "The Grinch who stole Christmas."

-THE SNAPE WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS

Every silly little Gryffindor liked Christmas a lot... not only Gryffindors, but Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws too. Even Slytherins had their moments of Yule joy.

But the Gryffindors were the ones who turned out to be more annoying than any others this time of the year.

Young Severus Snape, who was in his 7th year at Hogwarts, hated Christmas! He hated the entire season with all the exceedingly joyous decorations and warm Christmas spirit.

No one knew why he hated it so, but no one cared either. After all, Snape never liked anything. There was only one thing, though, that he hated more than Christmas: Gryffindors.

His hatred of Christmas went a lot deeper than what showed, as well as his hatred for his rival house. He had many reasons to hate the season, including the fact that his father never cared so much as to send him a gift or even a card. His mother was dead and the last time he spent Christmas at home, he was about twelve.

Christmas was just one more reminder of the family he didn't have, and feelings he never received from anyone... feelings he didn't want to have for anyone.

Lately, he had come to endure the season for just one particular reason: the insufferable Gryffindor golden stars spent their Holidays at home, giving him some peace for two full weeks.

But that wasn't the case this year. A month ago, he had the displeasure to overhear them talking about staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. The whole lot of them; Potter, Black, Lupin, Pettigrew and HER. She had, to his dismay, become closer to Potter this year. They were inseparable and try as he might, he could never understand why.

Bullies. Plain and simple. They had tormented him for seven years and now he would have to suffer the torment during the Christmas season! It wasn't like he was afraid; he was good at defending himself and had improved his defensive spells a great deal in the past year. But even so, he had also learned to avoid using them if he could.

There was nothing he could do about it really, except for making himself scarce. But there was something he could do about Christmas. More specifically, about the Gryffindors' Christmas.

So, Severus Snape stood there, hidden in the shadows that Christmas Eve, watching them, hating all and everything. Staring from behind a wall of books in the library, with a sour, snarky frown at the group of Gryffindors happily chatting around HER. There she was, Lily Evans, trying to get some studying done and those dunderheads that she now called 'friends', were urging her to enjoy the Holidays.

He shook his head with a sneer.

"Come on, Lily! You can study any other day! It's Christmas Eve for Merlin's sake!" James said.

"And your point is?" she asked from behind a pile of books on the table.

"Oh, please, Lily! There is nothing you don't already know! Why do you need to slave yourself today, of all days?" Sirius cut in.

"I'll have you know that I'm not a walking library, as you're trying to imply, and I'm really behind in Arithmancy!" she offered.

"Who isn't? I sincerely doubt any normal person would be able to excel in something that boring!" Sirius retorted.

Remus Lupin who was quiet up until now, said absently, "Snape does."

Sirius looked coldly at the Werewolf. "Exactly what I said, no one 'normal' could excel on that."

"You know I don't like when you say things like that, Sirius. I don't understand what he ever did to you." Lily closed her book, deciding it was clear she wasn't going to get any work done anymore.

"Let's not start arguing about Snape again." James encircled his arms around Lily's shoulder. "We'll never agree on it anyway." And gave her a light peck on the cheek.

"Where's Snape anyway? I'm bored... maybe we could have a little fun." Sirius snickered.

Pettigrew giggled in excitement and spoke timidly, "I heard he never goes home for the Holidays."

"Maybe not even his parents can't stand all that grease," Sirius said, now laughing and causing a glare from Madam Pince.

Lily's glare matched the librarian's and the boys shut their mouths not wanting to be at the end of Lily's fury on a Christmas Eve.

As they left the library, Severus smirked. "I may not stop Christmas, but I'm the one who will have a little fun tonight."

Severus had it all planned out. He had spent the last month brewing his potion and now all he had to do was put his plan into action. He wasn't really doing anything harmful, like sending anybody to their deaths. At that, he shivered, remembering the night he almost got killed by the Werewolf.

He was merely playing a prank, to relax a little from studying so much for the NEWTs. Dangerous? No. Humiliating? Yes, absolutely!

He was a prefect and had rounds tonight. He also knew that Frank Longbottom was the Gryffindor prefect on duty that night, and he should be doing his rounds at the first floor.

After about an hour, Severus climbed the stairs to the first floor, and easily spotted the Gryffindor prefect walking near the girls bathroom.

Sneaking quietly, he aimed his wand at the boy's back and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"

Longbottom fell flat to the floor with a muffled thump. 'Maybe it's not the bravest and noblest of ways to knock someone from behind, but... I'm not a Gryffindor. What do I care?' he thought, grinning unpleasantly.

He used a 'Mobilicorpus' to transport the prefect into the girls' bathroom. It was lucky of him to be near this particular bathroom. No one would ever go in there. After all, this was Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

After making sure the Gryffindor was well hidden in one of the stalls, he pulled some of his hair off. While doing so, he jumped alarmed as a voice spoke right behind him.

"What are you up to?"

Severus turned around to find with great relief that it was only Moaning Myrtle.

"Nothing that's any of your concern," he said fishing a vial from inside his robes.

"Maybe I should tell on you," the ghost said with a wicked grin.

"You will do no such thing!" Severus moved in front of the mirror.

"Who's gonna stop me?" she said, playfully gliding to stand beside him.

"I know more dark spells to vanquish ghosts than your simpleton Muggleborn mind can ever imagine." His voice was soft and dangerous, and for a moment he could swear he saw the ghost shiver. If that was even possible.

The ghostly girl stuck her tongue at him and glided to one of the stalls diving into the toilet bowl and wailing the word 'rude'.

Unfazed by the ghost's antics, Severus proceeded to remove the stopper from the vial and added the Gryffindor's hair to the potion. He drank it all in no more than three gulps. Using all the control he possessed not to gag, he waited for his stomach to accept the vile potion. Within seconds he could feel the transformation taking place.

With a disgusted expression, Severus stared at the reflection of Frank Longbottom sneering back at him. It was repulsive to be a Gryffindor even if for an hour, but it would have to do. Looking at both sides to see if the hall was clear, he ever so quietly made his way to Gryffindor tower. His quiet steps and ability to mesh into the shadows were very useful when it came to finding out what the password for the Gryffindor common room was.

By now the remaining students at Hogwarts were supposed to be asleep already and it would be easier for him to do what he had to do. Sure enough, the common room was deserted and their Christmas tree was surrounded by presents for the few Gryffindors who stayed behind. The room was dark, quiet snow fell outside the window. All the Gryffindors were dreaming their sickly sweet dreams without a care.

He withdrew his wand and grinned. "The golden stars of Gryffindor are going to get the most special presents of their lives." Tapping each present, reciting an incantation in Latin, it took him almost an hour to spell every gift under the tree.

After crawling through the portrait hole, he ran upstairs to the third floor, just in time to bring Longbottom back to normal and Obliviate him. Before the boy could regain consciousness of where he was and why, Severus was long gone, heading to the dungeons. He turned back into his old self on the way, and was happy to have gotten in front of the portrait hole to Slytherin only minutes after his rounds were over. Trying to bring his breathing back to normal, he mumbled the password and was almost ran over by an invisible form, which knocked him down and fell upon him, sprawled against his legs.

In the attempt of standing up quickly, the invisible person lost their cloak, revealing their face and body in seconds. Severus didn't know what he was more surprised with, if it was the fact that a Gryffindor was sneaking out of Slytherin common room under an invisibility cloak or the fact that the Gryffindor was Lily Evans.

"Evans? What were you doing in there? And past curfew, no less! I will have to deduct points and tell your Head of House where you were!" He stood up brushing his robes, imposing his prefect authority on her.

"Please don't," she said clutching the sleeve of his robe.

The pleading look in her eyes stopped him from moving, more than her hand did. He recovered from the surprise and pulled his arm away.

"What could you possibly say that would stop me from doing it?"

She sighed and said,"Come here," walking back inside the Slytherin Common room.

He followed her suspiciously, scanning the room for any sign of her little friends, his wand tightly wrapped inside his hand. "You better tell me what's this about, Evans or I will..."

She crouched next to the tree and grabbed a box with a tag hanging from its golden ribbon. She motioned the present toward him and it took him a moment to realize she was giving him a present. His eyes studied the package and his name was beautifully written on the tag with the round scrawl, he recognized as her handwriting.

"What is this?" he asked, unable to say anything less obvious.

"A present Severus, hasn't anyone ever give you a present?" she asked softly, her smile warmer than the embers in the fireplace.

"Actually, no..." His eyes grew big in surprise for letting something like that slip.

"Then I'm happy to be the first one to do so."

"I don't want your pity! This may as well be one of your friends' pranks to have a good Christmas laugh at my expense!" His black orbs firing anger on her.

"I do not pity you Severus, and I know I can't apologize for others, but I'm really sorry for the things James and Sirius have done to you... I'm not trying to buy your forgiveness with a gift, I just wanted to let you know that I like you and if it wasn't for this nonsense of house rivalry, I would have really enjoyed getting to know you better."

Suddenly his legs weren't as strong as they were a moment ago, and he sank into the nearest chair. When he didn't pick up the present, she went ahead and placed it by his side on the chair.

"I suppose I could have owled you this, but I doubt James would leave me alone long enough to go to the owlery. He would probably tag along and ask infernal questions about the present... I don't think he would understand..."

"Indeed, he wouldn't... I'm not even sure I understand it," Severus said looking at his hands.

"I have to get back before James notices his cloak is missing. Happy Christmas, Severus." She turned and wrapped the cloak around herself, disappearing into nothing, the only indication she was leaving was the portrait hole opening and closing.

Severus sat there in front of the fire, staring at the flames, feeling something he had forgotten how it felt, and how it hurt. After a long time he gazed at the box sitting beside him and tentatively opened it. Inside, involved in a green soft wrapping, was a very rare copy of "Moste Potente Potions", a version not even Hogwarts library had. He had gone to Hogsmeade in search of this book many times and when he finally found it, he didn't have enough money to buy it. He had gone as far as owling his father and begging for the money, only to receive a terse and heartless NO in reply.

How did she know?

He opened the book to find an inscription on the inside cover.

"I know how well you do in Potions and anyone can see the love and care you devote to it. I hope you like it, and use it well.

Happy Holidays,

Lily Evans."

Tears rolled down his cheek and he cried, cried for hours and for so many reasons, for things that this girl's one gesture had brought to the surface. Damn her! Damn all Gryffindors!

With a sigh he stood up, drying his face with the hem of his robes and before retiring to bed, he concentrated on the tree and the presents he had done the incantation, he knew all he had to do was to pronounce two words, even from a distance and the spell would be broken.

"Finite Incantatem!" he said and climbed the stairs to his dormitory. He wouldn't ruin Christmas for the Gryffidors this time... well, at least not most of them.

The next morning in the Gryffindor Common room.

The few remaining Gryffindors at Hogwarts, were happily unwrapping their presents and the laughter and joy of the season was filling the air. James, Sirius, Peter, Remus and Lily sat in a corner.

James was very smug, being the one finding the gifts under the tree and presenting one by one. He searched a little longer and found three more boxes hidden behind.

He threw Peter one, and then read the tag at the other, shoving it in Sirius direction, and finally sitting down to open his own. The three boys unwrapped their boxes, joking around like first years.

As the boxes' top was lifted, a warm white light shone from inside the boxes directly into their faces. They were knocked on their backs and the room grew very silent.

Remus helped his friends up. Lily's mouth fell open, and soon after she burst out laughing as did the little crowd present in the room. Even Remus couldn't contain his laughter.

"What is it?" James asked annoyed.

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Sirius glared at his friends.

Unable to speak, Lily pointed them to a Mirror. The boys ran to see what was all the fuss about.

The reflection staring back at them was far from funny. At least for them.

James, Sirius and Peter's faces and hair were colored a very bright shade of green and silver, striped on their skin from head to toe. Of course they would be even less happy when they found out that this kind of spell only wore off after a month. A month displaying Slytherin colors all over their faces.

A/N: My first Marauder Era fic and also a belated Christmas one-shot. I never stated in any moment that Severus has a thing for Lily, but it's there, I'm sure you know. I have my own theories but I prefer to wait for JKR to tell us the truth ;-)

I want to thank Lisa for beta-reading and Susan for helping with my sentence constructions and giving me some helpful hints. Also, I want to thank her for pointing out the fact that the house-elves leave the Christmas presents at the foot of their beds, so they don't need to go down to the Common room to get them. True, but I've decided not to change anything, because when I wrote this fic, I was actually thinking on the movie version of things. Sometimes I confuse them with the books and as I recall, on movie one, Ron calls Harry to the Common room to open his presents.

Hope you enjoy this and Happy Holidays!


End file.
